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The Tower at the Edge of Reality
Tower Primary Power Station Air Manse 5: Twin-Striking Lightning Prism Drawbacks: Habitability 1, Maintenance 5, Hearthstone Rating 4 Powers: Network Node (1), Geomantic Relay x5 (5), Guardian II (3), Indestructible (5), Deadly Trap (2) There are only two entrances to the network of underground wyld caverns that contain the tower -- and on top of the first of these is built the air power station. An unimpressive, unassuming building, the power station appears to be little more than a squat concrete box from the outside, accessible only by a heavy blast door. It's exterior is cold to the touch, but reveals no faults or cracks through which one might hope to slip. Those who somehow get inside must immediately flare the caste mark of a Solar Eclipse and speak the phrase, "I swear that I never meant any harm." or be attacked by the defenses and guardian creature. Those who do not quickly discover the deadly array of blades placed by the entrance, as well as the second-circle demon who stalks the halls. Any who gets past those discover little inside the manse -- an elevator leading down into the tunnels around the tower, as well as the various geomantic devices required to maintain the relay. There are no control inside the power station -- all of it's functions are run remotely from the tower below. Tower Secondary Power Station Fire Manse 5: Gem of White Heat Drawbacks: Habitability 1, Maintenance 5, Hearthstone Rating 3 Powers: Network Node (1), Geomantic Relay x5 (5), Guardian II (3), Indestructible (5), Ultra-Deadly Trap (3) There are only two entrances to the network of underground wyld caverns that contain the tower -- and on top of the second of these is built the air power station. An unimpressive, unassuming building, the power station appears to be little more than a squat concrete box from the outside, accessible only by a heavy blast door. It's exterior is hot to the touch, but reveals no faults or cracks through which one might hope to slip. Those who somehow get inside must immediately flare the caste mark of a Solar Eclipse and speak the phrase, "First Age soul." or be attacked by the defenses and guardian creature. Those who do not quickly discover the soul-sucking magnet placed by the entrance, as well as the second-circle demon who stalks the halls. Any who gets past those discover little inside the manse -- an elevator leading down into the tunnels around the tower, as well as the various geomantic devices required to maintain the relay. There are no control inside the power station -- all of it's functions are run remotely from the tower below. The Tower at the Edge of Reality Solar Manse 5 Drawbacks: Habitability 2, Fragility 2, Maintenance 5, Hearthstone Rating 0 Powers: Network Node (1), Geomantic Nexus (1), Guardian Force (4), Integrated Utility Artifacts x3 (9), Wyld Revocation (4), Central Control (2), Outside Fate (4), Extended Zone of Influence (4) Integrated Utility Artifacts: By The Primordials Will (Artifact 5): Any creatures shaped by the manse are inside Fate, protected by infernal magic that confuses the spiders into thinking their patterns are the legitimate Fate of Creation. Sidreals and Celestial Deities are not fooled however, and may notice by mundane means that the creature doesn't seem to fit. This artifact requires several second-circle demons to operate, and cannot function without them. It is ultimately just a focus for the demons power, rather than having any innate magic of it's own. Protoshimatic Rift Generator (Artifact 5): The central "spire" that gives the tower it's distinctive appearance, this artifact unmakes the weave of Fate and temporarily takes an area into Pure Chaos for the purposes of wyld shaping. This rift usually takes the form of a swirling portal underneath the manse. Hand of the Great Maker (Artifact 3): This artifact functions normally, except that it stores up to Manse Ratingx2 successes instead of the users Willpower+Essence and of course, cannot be removed from the manse. False Reality Calculation Engine (Artifact 2): This database, archive, and computational device gives +3 to the users Lore as long as the subject in question is in some way related to the wyld or shaping weapons. A Lie Made Real (Artifact 5): The manse ultimately functions by generating a false reality and weaving it into the Loom of Fate -- the essence of a lie repeated so many times it becomes a truth. By this twisted magic, the manse is not limited to altering reality, but spins falsehood out of whole cloth. It channels the power of Solars and Demons, reflected by the broken mirrors of 250 faerie shapers. When shaping something that is already real, the tower is not limited to inflicting changes on what is (such as wyld mutations), but can make changes like "What if this person had been born a girl?" or "What if this volcano had never erupted?". These changes are completely real and retroactive -- at least within the false reality the manse generates. The successes for making these changes are equal to the successes required to generate them out of nothing. For instance, turning a human into a Jadeborn would require a number of successes equal to that to create a Jadeborn out of whole cloth. Glamor and Lightning (Artifact 5): The tower adds it's manse rating in successes to any Wyld Shaping checks made using it. The tower must be fully manned by it's faerie crew for this power to function. This applies to the solar Wyld Shaping Technique, but could also hypothetically apply to any wyld shaping charm a non-solar user might wish to employ. The benefits of this power only apply to the towers owner, however, and so it is unlikely it's solar maker will ever willingly pass it on to another. Time Dilation Array(Artifact 5): About the tower, time flows like wax, and what most take as "stable reality" is no safe bet. Inside the towers zone of influence, time will speed up or slow down without warning, reflecting how highly unstable a weapon the manse is. Not even the manse's owner can control this effect -- it is essentially random. On average however, the effect is a bit more predictable -- time flows about three times as fast as it should within the manse. With its' very existence, the tower mocks the Gods' Creation. Forged by a man obsessed, fueled by the wyld and crewed by a panoply of faerie's and second circle demons, it serves one purpose -- to defy their reality. To deny Fate. To let it's owner stand atop it and shout to the world that he does not like the course life made for him -- and by the primordials power, he can go back and change it. That by his will, not the will of heaven, reality will be made right. Made in his image. At its' most basic level, the tower is a powerful shaping weapon, with the capability of first destabilizing the weave of Fate and then re-weaving it in a more "suitable" image. Only powerful infernal magic makes it possible to deceive the pattern spiders int his way -- a service rendered by the many sub-souls of She Who Lives in Her Name and the Ebon Dragon that inhabit the manse. While it can generate creatures out of whole cloth from the stuff of the wyld, it's greatest strength lies in reshaping what already exists. For such objects or creatures, the tower doesn't simply shape them in real time, but generates a false reality that is gradually molds them into -- and then it give that reality substance and weight. Destiny's it creates are real (at least, real enough to fool the pattern spiders), bloodlines true, hypotheticals resolved. Although the false reality is generates is really only five miles in radius, it projects the image of an entire world very effectively by moving the creation around whomever is inside it. While the tower has many demons and faerie's serving within it (250 of each to be exact), some are more noteworthy than others. Among the demons, the Weaver of Voices holds command, for the towers magic lets her weave more wondrous things than cloth, the power it grants her her reward for service. Among the fae, a creature that calls itself the Faerie Godmother holds the greatest sway, for she shapes new minds in her own twisted fashion, acting with both skill and gleeful madness. The tower generates no hearthstone -- all of it's power is focused within. Instead, to signify it's owner, it creates an orichalcum locket, the inside of which depicts the wearer and whatever they value most in the world. Whomever wears it is the manse's rightful owner, and can command all the faerie's and demons within. Category:CotUS Category:CotUS Panoply Category:Grey Wolf